Blood vessel features in tumors may help predict patient survival in colorectal cancer
· Medical Xpressedited by Sadie Harley, reviewed by Robert Egan
Sadie Harley
Scientific Editor
Meet our editorial team
Behind our editorial process
Robert Egan
Senior Editor
Meet our editorial team
Behind our editorial process Editors' notes
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:
fact-checked
peer-reviewed publication
trusted source
proofread
The GIST Add as preferred source
Tumors require a blood supply to grow and survive. The blood vessels that nourish tumors can have different characteristics across cancer types and could be connected to patient survival and outcomes. Researchers from Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute, the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health conducted a prospective cohort study using advanced imaging techniques to microscopically characterize colorectal tumor vessels.
The study found that patients with tumors showing higher overall blood vessel density had better survival, and a higher proportion of microvessels was associated with better outcomes.
The results are published in JAMA Network Open.
"Numerous blood vessels extend deep into tumors, yet their role in tumor biology is still relatively understudied," explained corresponding author Shuji Ogino, MD, chief of the Program in Molecular Pathological Epidemiology in the Department of Pathology at Mass General Brigham.
"We are finding that some tumor vessel subtypes may represent potential therapeutic targets. For example, immunotherapy combined with vessel-targeting therapy may prove even more effective in treating colorectal cancer than immunotherapy alone."
Mapping tumor vessel subtypes
The study used the prospective cohort incident-tumor biobank method (PCIBM) to analyze tumor samples from 837 colorectal cancer patients in the Nurses' Health Study, a study that has run for 50 years, and the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study.
The research team developed a custom in situ multispectral immunofluorescence assay to visualize and quantify multiple biomarkers within a single tissue section or cell sample. They used this technique to classify more than 61,000 tumor blood vessels by molecular and structural features. By incorporating AI-based machine learning, the researchers analyzed tumor vessel data faster and more efficiently than traditional methods.
Additional findings indicate that higher proportions of certain kinds of vessels were associated with worse patient outcomes. Vessel subtypes associated with angiogenesis (new blood vessel growth) were linked to a poorer prognosis. Also, smaller, rounder vessels were correlated with better outcomes, while larger, more abnormal vessels were linked to worse outcomes.
A group led by Ogino recently found that certain vessel features characterize colorectal cancer diagnosed in patients younger than 50 (so-called early-onset colorectal cancer).
Validation for precision medicine
Future research will explore whether various vessel features are linked to known or novel risk factors using the PCIBM approach. The authors note that additional studies are needed to validate the findings and better understand how tumor vessel characteristics may influence colorectal cancer outcomes.
"Our study demonstrated that vascular features could serve as prognostic biomarkers, biological or clinical signs that signal the likely path of a disease," Ogino said.
"It indicates what might have happened in the past or what may happen in the future, no matter what treatment is used, which may be useful for risk stratification and precision medicine."
Publication details
Tumor Vascular Features and Colorectal Cancer–Specific Mortality, JAMA Network Open (2026). DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.34883
Journal information: JAMA Network Open
Key medical concepts
Clinical categories
Oncology Provided by Mass General Brigham Who's behind this story?
Sadie Harley
BSc Life Sciences & Ecology. Microbiology lab background with pharmaceutical news experience in oil, gas, and renewable industries. Full profile →
Robert Egan
Bachelor's in mathematical biology, Master's in creative writing. Well-traveled with unique perspectives on science and language. Full profile →
Citation: Blood vessel features in tumors may help predict patient survival in colorectal cancer (2026, September 21) retrieved 22 September 2026 from https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-blood-vessel-features-tumors-patient.html This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.